Nashik, Jan 25 (PTI) Thousands of farmers and labourers launched a foot march to Mumbai from Nashik on Sunday to press for their various demands, including land rights, irrigation facilities and uninterrupted power supply.
Led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Akhil Bharatiya Kisan Sabha, the protesters, carrying red flags, accused the government of not keeping its promises and threatened to gherao Mantralaya, the state secretariat, in Mumbai, if their issues are not resolved.
CPI(M) Polit Bureau member and All India Kisan Sabha national president Ashok Dhawle, and CITU national vice president DL Karad are among those taking part in march.
Implementation of the Forest Rights Act, land rights under PESA (Provisions of the Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act), execution of irrigation schemes, minimum support price for soybean and maize are among their issues.
Earlier, a similar “long march” was undertaken in Palghar district, and it ended after the administration agreed to many of their demands, said Kisan Sabha national joint secretary Ajit Navale. “After the Thane and Palghar, we have now embarked on a long march to Mumbai (about 200 km away) from Nashik,” he said.
Navale said farmers had launched similar protests in 2015 and 2019, when Devendra Fadnavis was the chief minister, and in 2023 during the tenure of the then CM Eknath Shinde. “The government gives assurances during such agitations, but does not fulfil them,” he alleged.
Former MLA J P Gavit said the agitators are ready with ration and determined to reach Mumbai.
“We will gherao Mantralaya and will not budge till our demands are met,” he said, adding that more farmers will join them on their way.
Due to the march, traffic in several parts of Nashik came to a standstill for a long time. PTI COR NR
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